- Clothes to declutter
- Kitchen things to declutter
- Books to declutter
- Bedroom things to declutter
- Playroom things to declutter
Everywhere you look, the surfaces and sides are covered with stuff. There’s no other word for it. Your home is cluttered, and you simply don’t know where to start. If it’s getting to you, you’re not alone. Research suggests that physical mess can lead to a spike in cortisol and stress levels.
Learning how to declutter your home is the answer, and you’ve come to the right place. We have a full decluttering checklist featuring 25 things you can throw away and how to do it.
Drawer decluttering checklist
Let’s kick things off by starting with your drawers. If you’re scared to open them (because they might not shut!), that’s a clear sign you need to throw away some stuff.
1. Old technology
If you can’t remember the last time you turned it on, chances are you no longer need that gadget. Old phones, tablets, and even laptops take up much-needed space. Either sell them online or in a shop like CEX, or you can recycle them at places like Curry’s.
While you're here, learn how to clean electronic devices. It helps to look after the ones you keep!
2. Junk mail
Stuffing junk mail into the nearest drawer is the fastest way to clutter up your home. Take out those pesky papers and recycle them properly.
3. Wires
Tackling that tangle of wires in the drawer is never going to be fun. Sort out which chargers you actually use and which you can get rid of for good.=
Make sure you keep things tidy with our cable management tips.
4. Birthday cards
Sentimentality will get you nowhere when it comes to decluttering your home. Go through your old birthday and Christmas cards, and keep only the meaningful ones. Bonus points if you tidy them away in a neat folder, too.
5. Packaging
Have you been sneakily storing excess packaging in your drawers? Be honest with yourself: you’re never going to use it. Keep a small, usable amount, and recycle the rest.
Clothes to declutter
Next up, we’re going to head to your wardrobe and bedroom drawers. Keeping things ‘in case’ you ever want to wear them again is a bad move. Here’s a quick decluttering checklist.
6. Badly-fitting clothes
You might love the pattern or the brand, but if something doesn’t flatter you now, it never will. People often keep badly fitting clothes because they hope one day they will put them on and look great. If you never wear the piece, sell it online or give it to charity.
7. Broken and stained pieces
Do you have a pile of clothes you plan to ‘fix’ one day? If it’s been there for more than six months, take the hint and get rid of the clothes. You can often recycle clothes at textile banks or turn the material into a rag for your home.
8. Old underwear
If your underwear has seen better days, now’s your chance to do something about it. You can recycle these at textile banks, too.
9. Clothes you don’t wear
Here’s a tough one: you might love a certain piece of clothing, but if you never wear it, you should get rid of it. Ask yourself whether you’ve worn it at all this year. If the answer is no, either pop it on Vinted or take it to a local charity shop.
10. Children’s clothes
If you have children, you’ll also have a load of clothes that no longer fit them. You can donate quality children’s clothing to charities, such as Kids.
Kitchen things to declutter
Is there no space on your kitchen counter to actually cook? You’ll need to learn how to get rid of the things that are taking up too much space. For more kitchen decluttering tips, take a look at our other article.
11. Appliances you don’t use
Whether it’s a blender, a toasty machine, or even something more adventurous like a crepe maker, ask yourself whether you actually use it. If the answer is no, it can either be put away, given to charity, or recycled.
12. Ornaments
Candles, knick-knacks, and ornaments don’t belong on a kitchen countertop. While they may look pretty, these are the things that get in the way when you’re trying to cook.
13. Oil and spices
Having your olive oil out on the counter is handy, especially if you use it often. However, if you have a small countertop, it can get in the way. The same goes for spices. It may be better to dedicate some cupboard space to the good ones and chuck out the old ones.
14. Knife blocks
Knife blocks serve a real purpose and, if you have the space, they can look great. If you don’t, you can switch them for knives in a drawer or a magnetic strip to hold them.
15. Cookbooks
Again, these can look decorative, but that doesn’t mean they actually need to be on display. Your kitchen work surface should be for cooking, not curating a library. Donate any of the books you don’t actually use, and put the rest on a shelf out of the way.
Books to declutter
Books are among the biggest obstacles to decluttering your home. However, if too many paperbacks pile up in your place, you need to be strict.
16. Books you’re not going to read
We all have them: the pile of books you should read, but you’re never going to. Don’t keep things around just in case you ever read them.
17. Books you’ve read
Most of the books you’ve read can be donated to a charity shop. You can give them to Oxfam Books, for example. Of course, there are some exceptions. If you plan to re-read the book, give it to a friend, or simply love the way it looks, you’re allowed to keep it.
18. Old textbooks
If it’s been many years since you were a student, you don’t need to hold onto your old textbooks any longer. World of Books buys old textbooks, so you might just make a profit.
Bedroom things to declutter
Bedrooms are supposed to be the place where you can relax and recharge. If yours is full of clutter, that’s not going to happen. Get rid of the following:
19. Exercise stuff
Looking under your bed might give you a jump scare, but it’s worth it. Whether it’s a massage pillow or exercise balls, if they haven’t seen the light of day for a while, get rid of them.
20. Old jewellery and trinkets
The surfaces in your bedroom are likely to be a magnet for trinkets. Things like jewellery you’ll never wear, postcards, ornaments, used-up candles, and empty jars can go.
Playroom things to declutter
Your kids’ playroom or bedroom is likely to be cluttered. When it comes to how to declutter your home, this is one of the biggest challenges.
21. Broken toys
If a toy is broken, it’s got to go. You can recycle many modern toys, but make sure you check the label before doing so.
22. Unwanted toys
The toys that your kids never play with deserve a better home. You can donate old and unwanted toys to charities like Toys4Life.
23. Books your kids have outgrown
You can give your kids’ old books to the Children’s Book Project. The charity redistributes these books to schools and community projects across the UK.
24. Sticky stuff
Kids love sticky stuff, but that doesn’t always mean you should keep it. It’s worth getting rid of old sticky things, like Play-Doh, slime, and anything else that’s got a bit mucky.
25. Finished colouring or sticker books
Unfortunately, once your child has finished a colouring or sticker book, they’re unlikely to go back to it. Recycle them if possible.
Declutter your home now
Throwing away (or recycling) things can be hard, especially if you secretly think you might need them one day. However, decluttering means being strict with yourself about whether you actually need the things in your home. Use our checklist to guide you when you get started.
Q&A
Looking for some more answers about decluttering your home? Check out our FAQs:
How can you declutter when you want to keep everything?
Be honest with yourself about whether you need the thing in question. If you haven’t used it for the last year (and have no plans to), chances are you don’t need to hold onto it any longer.
How can you declutter when you’re overwhelmed?
When it comes to how to start decluttering when you’re overwhelmed, the answer is to take things slow. You don’t have to overhaul your whole house in a day. Work methodically through your home. You might want to start with one area or room at a time.
How can you declutter your house quickly?
If you want to declutter your house fast, use boxes. Grab a large box and go from room to room filling it with things you don’t “need”. You can then sort the box and decide what to keep, what to give away, and what to throw away.
How do I get rid of electrical items?
Don’t simply throw electrical items in the bin. Instead, you should recycle these at outlets such as Curry’s so the experts can dispose of them safely.
What was the hardest thing for you to declutter? Let us know in the comments below!
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